Astronomy Cafe – Dec 18, 2023

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Transcript video of meeting

  • New member intro
  • Last Astronomy Cafe for 2023 this evening – thanks to Chris Purse (meeting coordinator), Joe Carr (recordings & notes) and Kathie Koziol (coffee)
  • Leona vs Betelgeuse – Randy Enkin
    • Asteroid 319 Leona occulted Betelgeuse on Dec 12th
    • Betelgeuse’s diameter is 50 milliarcseconds
    • The asteroid’s shape and rotation was worked out from the occultation observations
    • Only clear along the path over Spain
    • IOTA – occultation observations
    • Varsavia occultation observed by David Lee and Dave Bennett on July 17, 2003
  • Events
    • Astronomy Day (May 18, 2024) – Randy Enkin
      • RBCM has invited Victoria Centre to stage the event on their site
      • Discussion about pros and cons for UVic Bob Wright vs Museum sites
      • New location: Langford or Colwood – more young families would likely attend
      • FDAO Star Party in the evening on Observatory Hill
      • Need a new organizing committee with David Lee and Lauri Roche in an advisory – to volunteer contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca
      • Consensus is to hold Astronomy Day at RBCM
    • Island Star Party – early August 2024 – to volunteer contact Randy president@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Victoria Centre AGM – Feb 2024
    • Cafe Scientifique – monthly public event staged by UVic Faculty of Science at Hermann’s Jazz Club – Jim Fox
    • Virtual Reality of DAO – Darren
      • Modelling of site, telescope and dome well underway
      • Need more information and feedback from RASC members
      • Darren will present his project to Astronomy Cafe early in 2024
    • Astrophotographs
      • Jellyfish Nebula – narrowband – Dave Payne
      • Horsehead and Flame Nebulae – Ron Fisher
      • Lion Nebula  – Dave’s data, Ron Fisher processed it
    • Lauri Roche
    • Frank Hobbs Elementary Solstice Party this Thursday – contact Randy to volunteer president@victoria.rasc.ca

Next Astronomy Cafe will be held on January 8, 2024

Astronomy Cafe – Dec 11, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Citizen Science SIG – David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
  • FDAO Star Parties at the CU – Lauri Roche
    • Pancake Breakfast last Saturday morning. Dennis Crabtree played Santa. Thanks to all the volunteers.
    • Winter Solstice Star Party and debate about Pluto – this Saturday 6-9PM
    • FDAO fundraiser goes to the end of December – donate
  • Astrophotos – Ken McGill
    • Elephant Nebula IC1396 in Hubble Palette – a “van Gogh” rendition among others
    • Wizard Nebula and Open Cluster (starless) NGC 7380
    • Discussion about processing the stars in these images
  • New Black Nugget Lake Observatory  (BNLO – RASC Edmonton Centre) – intro by Dave Robinson
    • Former coal strip mine site developed into an observing site since it’s a dark location reasonably close to Edmonton
    • 32″ Unyk Drew Telescope construction and installation
    • Former observatory dome from University of Alberta
    • Warren Finlay’s documentary video as presented to RASC Edmonton June 2021 Regular Meeting
    • Fundraising, grants, donations
    • Donation of 32″ mirror by Bob Drew, telescope build by Roman Unyk, observatory rehabilitation, construction challenges
    • Completed in 2022 after encountering many delays
    • Dedication at Northern Prairie Star Party this past September
    • Background from Bob Drew
    • Priority of the facility is for the public to observe visually in-person
    • Q&A
  • Chris Gainor
    • Hubble – The gyroscope problems are resolved, so the space telescope is back in operation.
    • JWST – Cass A image
  • Space-Based Far-Infrared Telescope – Dr Doug Johnstone – UVic presentation this Wednesday – B150 Fluery Hall – Reg Dunkley
  • Chit chat and discussion

Astronomy Cafe – Nov 20, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Victorian Asteroids – Randy Enkin
    • Lauri Roche and Chris Gainor now have asteroids named after them
    • Peter Jedicke proposed the names to the IAU’s WGSBN
    • Lauriroche – Visible in the summer sky, 14 magnitude
    • Gainor – evening sky now, spring will be the best view
    • Past namings: Sidhu, Bettyhesser, Jamesheasser, JackAlice (Newton), Scarfe, Plaskett, Balam, Tatum, Climenhaga, Plaskett, Kavelaars, Bohlender, DAO, Crampton, UVic, Vicsympho, Makosinski, Kleewyck (Emily Carr), Frasercain
    • Congratulations to everyone with named asteroids
    • Other Awards and Honours – Victoria Centre members with asteroids named after them
  • New members intro – Suzanne, Jerod (both in person)
  • Lunar sketches – Randy Enkin
    • Cassini over several nights
  • Swap and Shop – next week in-person at Astronomy Cafe
    • Bring your astronomy stuff!
    • Bring your money to buy stuff!
    • Send your list of equipment to Chris Purse (membership@victoria.rasc.ca) ahead of time so we can promote the event
  • Website Infrastructure – project leader needed – Randy Enkin president@victoria.rasc.ca
    • Determine the scope of the project, coordinate the technical details, help Council select a new web provider
    • Talk to Joe Carr Webmaster for details (web@victoria.rasc.ca)
  • Jeff Pivnick
    • A review of Circumstellar Disks by Brenda Matthews, who was our speaker from last Wednesday’s meeting at UVic
    • ALMA situated on the Atacama Desert 5,000m / 16,000′ altitude
    • Monthly meetings – future list through to March 13, 2024
    • Garry Sedun – working at altitude is very difficult
    • 134th Birth Anniversary of Edwin Hubble today
      • Lawyer, teacher of math and physics
      • Graduate work at University of Chicago in physics and astronomy
      • Started work in 1919 Mt Wilson observatory on the new 100″ Hooker telescope, studying nebulae and galaxies
      • Classification scheme for galaxies
      • Founded extra-galactic astronomy
      • Red/blue shift gives indication of distance of celestial objects
      • Several articles in Skynews by Bruce Lane highlighted Hubble’s work
    • Discussion of all topics presented by Jeff
  • Observatories Observed in France – Sep 2023 – Brian Barber
  • Deep Sky at IMAX, the story of James Webb space telescope is now on – Jeff Pivnick
  • Astronomy Day – out-of-date astronomy magazines and Observers Handbooks are good for giveaways, so don’t throw them out. Contact Jeff Pivnick (jeff.pivnick2@gmail.com)
  • Calendars for 2024 – some still available
  • Centre of the Universe Events – Lauri Roche
    • FDAO Telescope Clinic – thanks to all the volunteered last Saturday
    • Dec 9th – fundraising breakfast
    • Dec 16th – solstice party
  • Nebula from Gamma Cassiopeia, “the Ghost of Cassiopeia” IC59 & IC63 – astrophoto by Dave Payne
  • Observing Report
    • Fireball spotted by Dennis F’s wife at 6:40AM a few mornings ago. Widely reported in the region, but Sid Sidhu’s All-Sky camera didn’t capture the event.
  • Upcoming Events
    • Astrophotography SIG this Wednesday – Dave Payne
    • UVic speaker for Dec 13 – Far Infrared space observatory – Dr. Doug Johnston – Reg Dunkley

Next Astronomy Cafe on Nov 27th is a Swap ‘n Shop – bring your astronomy gear to sell, and bring cash to buy stuff!

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 30, 2023

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Transcript video

  • New members
    • Matt – astrophotographer
    • Ewen, Michaela – Swiss visitors
    • Cameron, Lisa, baby Max
    • Carlos
  • Eclipses – Randy Enkin
    • Geometry of eclipses
    • Types of solar eclipses
    • The Saros Cycle
      • Lunar Months – Sidereal, Synodic, Draconic, Anomalistic
      • Every 18 years, the solar eclipse cycle repeats, but the track moves a third around the Earth
    • Antikythera mechanism (~200 BCE) – predicts Saros cycles
  • What is a conjunction? David Lee, Marjie Welchframe
    • It’s a conjunction if the two objects share Right Ascension
    • derekscope.co.uk – list of all conjunctions to 2025
    • A large number occur during daylight
    • Discussion of how to observe conjunctions during the day
  • Makers SIG  – this Thursday- David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
  • Telescope Clinic – Nov 18 at FDAO Star Party event at the Centre of the Universe
    • Need some RASC volunteers to help attendees use their telescope
    • Contact Lauri Roche roche.lauri@gmail.com
  • Victoria Centre Observatory – Reg Dunkley, David Lee
    • Oak tree encroachment on the observatory is now trimmed back, thanks to NRC
    • MICs need to be trained on the new equipment and procedures
    • Workflows for imaging are now in place
    • Picnic table – new one in the budget
  • Amateur Radio and the ISS – Jim Cliffe
    • Image broadcast from ISS to amateurs – Slow Scan TV
  • Pearson CollegeAstronomy Outreach – Bill Weir
    • Westshore Walmart parking lot
    • Moon, Jupiter, Saturn
  • James Webb Space Telescope – Chris Gainor
    • M1 Crab Nebula – Hubble image vs Webb image
  • 2024 RASC Observers Calendars – Lauri Roche
    • $15 each – still some available – contact Lauri roche.lauri@gmail.com
    • Lauri will also distribute calendars at the monthly meeting at UVic on Nov 8th
  • Nov 8 monthly meeting at UVic – Reg Dunkley

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 23, 2023

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Transcript video

  • John McDonald
    • NightWatch: A Practical Guide to Viewing the Universe– book review and recommended for beginners in astronomy. Perhaps a Festive season gift?
    • Annular Eclipse event at Berwick Elk Lake
      • Thanks for the eclipse glasses (Jeff Pivnick)
      • Residents hadn’t observed a solar eclipse before, so there was lots of excitement
  • Astronomy Outreach and Events – Patrick
    • International Dark Sky designations
    • Astronomy events near Hope
    • Bonneford, Alberta
    • Now resides in Victoria
  • Nucleosynthesis – Jeff Pivnick
  • Planetary Nebula images
    • Dave Payne
      • Proto-planetary nebula
      • Planetary Nebulae visual differences: larger, two explosions, classic, cosmic wind dispersion
    • Brock Johnston
      • M57
      • NGC 7293 Helix Nebula
      • M97 Owl Nebula
      • NGC 651 Little Dumbbell Nebula
      • M27 Dumbbell Nebula
      • NGC 6888 Crescent Nebula
      • Soap Bubble Nebula
    • Use these images at the Centre of the Universe displays? Lauri Roche
  • Lauri Roche
    • 2024 RASC Observers calendars have arrived. Cost is $15 each, with some still available. Contact Lauri roche.lauri@gmail.com
    • Thanks to everyone who attended the FDAO AGM a couple of nights ago.
  • Special Interest Groups – David Lee david@victoria.rasc.ca
  • Famous Eclipses in History – Randy Enkin
    • Some during BCE Era?
    • Mar 1, 1504 Lunar Eclipse in Jamaica – Christopher Columbus
    • 1868 solar eclipse – Janssen observed helium in the solar spectrum before element was identified on Earth
    • 1919 solar eclipse – Eddington confirmed General Relativity
  • Eclipses from Enkin’s Daily Moon – Randy Enkin
    • Art, photos, juxapositions
  • Weather Forecast for just-past Annular Eclipse – Reg Dunkley
    • GOES-West satellite cloud cover loop shows the eclipse darkening
    • DAO Current Weather – Sky Camera
  • Sunspot Groups – David Lee
    • Sunspots emerge through magnetic fields
    • Individual sunspots and groups of sunspots
    • AAVSO sunspot – online reporting

Astronomy Cafe – Oct 16, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video

  • Resumption of monthly meetings and speakers at UVic –  Jeff Pivnick
  • Unexpected Results from James Webb Space Telescope – Chris Gainor
  • Annular Solar Eclipse from Victoria on Oct 14, 2023 – Randy Enkin, Lauri Roche, David Lee
    • Lots of families at FDAO event on Observatory Hill
    • Randy gave 10-minute eclipse basics talks
    • Pre-eclipse report and time lapse video by David Lee
    • FDAO eclipse event report by Lauri Roche
      • Streamed images from David Lee’s telescope in lower parking lot
      • Streamed images from Time & Date website
      • Homemade waffles, fruit and parfaits were popular
      • Lots of RASC members
      • About 150-200 public attended
    • Eclipse Images by members
      • Impromptu event from Cattle Point – Nathan Hellner-Mestelman
      • Sid Sidhu’s Highlands neigbourhood event – David Lee
      • Gordon Head sketches – Dorothy Paul
      • Observatory Hill photo series – Brock Johnston
      • John McDonald’s photos – David Lee
      • Cattle Point – Alex Schmid
      • Partial Solar Eclipse 2023 – RASC Victoria online gallery
    • Eclipse photos from online sources – Randy Enkin
    • Eclipse reports from members
  • Total Solar Eclipse – April 8, 2024 – Discussion about this upcoming event
  • SIGNALS – Star-formation, Ionized Gas and Nebular Abundances Legacy Survey – CFHT – Laurie Rousseau-Nepton, Principal Investigator
  • FDAO Star Party AGM, 2024 RASC calendars or workbooks – contact Lauri Roche (roche.lauri@gmail.com)
  • Beginners’s SIG – Algol Minima – David Lee

President’s Message – October 2023

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It’s October! The nights are longer. The moon is higher. And lots of events are happening for our amateur astronomy community.

The big one is the Annular Solar Eclipse which will happen on the morning of Saturday October 14. The moon will nibble away at the sun starting at 8:07AM, half an hour after sunrise in the east. The maximum here will be at 9:19AM with a whopping 85% of the sun in eclipse. And the show is over at 10:38AM.

Ring of Fire - Cedar City, Utah on May 20, 2012

The Victoria Centre is not running any official viewings. Members are invited to help the Friends of the DAO with their Eclipse Breakfast at the Centre of the Universe. Note, we have 1,000 solar-viewing glasses to hand out, so we encourage members to go to good east-viewing sites (e.g., Clover Point, Cattle Point, Mount Tolmie) with a handful of these glasses. Contact me (email) or Lauri Roche (email) to get your glasses. Lauri will also be handing them out at the University on October 11.

What a great segué! Finally, after a 3½ year hiatus, we are back to holding monthly Wednesday evening talks at the University of Victoria. The first will be on Wednesday October 11, at 19:30, in the Bob Wright Centre, Lecture Theatre A104. We have a very exciting speaker, Christian Marois, who led the international team of astronomers that first imaged extrasolar planets. His topic is “The NRC NEW EARTH Laboratory, and the Quest to Develop the Tools to Find Life on Exoplanets”. Let’s have a big crowd join in this talk. And afterwards, everybody is welcome to chat in the Astronomy lounge in the Elliott building, and have access to our library for the first time since the lockdown. Many thanks to Alex Shmid and Reg Dunkley for organizing the event.

After a 2-week break, the weekly Monday evening Astro Café continues on October 16 with Jeff Pivnick as our host. Join online with Zoom, or better still join in person at the Fairfield Community Centre and enjoy the cookies!

The last point I am pleased to make is that the Victoria Centre Observatory is up and running better than ever. Use the wonderful telescopes up there or bring your own, and join the community looking at the sky together. Note that you must be on the “Active Observers List” to be allowed up to the VCO (Members Only). Contact our Membership Chair, Chris Purse (membership@victoria.rasc.ca) to get on the list. Members on the Active Observers List get emailed when the sky is predicted to be clear and one of the Members in Charge opens it up.

We are so fortunate to have such a vital community in the Victoria Centre. Do seize the opportunities.

And as always,
Look Up!
Randy Enkin (email)

Astronomy Cafe – Sep 25, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

Fuelling Galactic Powerhouses – Dr. Mallory Thorp

  • Mallory is a postdoctoral researcher the Argelander-Institut für Astronomie (AIfA) at the University of Bonn; MSc & PhD at UVic
  • Hubble Deep Field – how do all those galaxies interact with each other?
  • Spitzer Infrared Nearby Galaxies Survey (SINGS)
  • Galaxy Zoo – internals to galaxies
  • Baryon Cycle – gas, dust, stars
    • Inter-stellar Medium – gas and star formation
  • Sloan Digital Sky Survey
    • huge number of galaxies
    • great for big picture studies
  • Phangs – high resolution studies of individual galaxies covering the complete Baryon Cycle
    • Uses multiple telescopes for source data, including both space and ground telescopes – ALMA, JWST, HST, MUSE
    • NGC 628 / M74
      • Voids in the galaxy – biggest is The Phantom Void (1kpc across)
      • Recently formed stars on the edge of voids at these “shock fronts”
      • How stars form has now been observed, thanks to JWST
    • Out of 74 galaxies only a dozen are mergers
    • NGC 3637 – example merger galaxy
  • Catastrophic events impact interstellar medium
    • Strong star formation when the galactic structure is essentially destroyed
    • Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN) – eventual result of interaction between galaxies
    • Jets of gas leave the galaxy
    • AGN is likely responsible for star formation
    • Galaxies turn off – why?
    • Try to reconstruct an interaction of galaxies over billions of years
  • ALMaQUEST – ALMA MaNGA Quenching & Star-Formation Survey
    • How mergers power starbursts?
    • Extra stars and extra gas
    • Studying post-merged galaxies
    • How do mergers trigger the birth of new stars?
    • AGN or starbursts when fuel is pulled into the centre of a galaxy
  • Q&A

Resumption of monthly meetings and speakers at UVic – Reg Dunkley

  • NEW EARTH Lab – Find Life on Exoplanets | RASC Victoria – Dr. Christian Marois, NRC, UVic
  • Oct 11th 7:30PM at Bob Wright Centre, Room A104, University of Victoria
  • Meeting will not be streamed, so please attend in-person
  • After the meeting, adjourn to the Elliott Building 4th floor Astronomy lounge for coffee, cookies and discussion
  • Lauri will have solar eclipse glasses to give to members

Annular Solar Eclipse – Oct 14, 2023 – Lauri Roche & David Lee

  • Solar Eclipse 2023 — Annular Eclipse, October 14 – Time & Date info page
    • Start: 8:03AM PDT
    • Maximum: 11:00AM PDT
    • End: 1:56PM PDT
  • Event at the Centre of the Universe
    • Observe the eclipse
    • Breakfast snacks supplied
    • Kids activities
    • Vignette talks
    • Event tickets on sale from FDAO through Eventbrite
    • Solar telescopes – dependant on RASC volunteers
    • Will supply solar eclipse glasses to attendees and other people hosting events can come to pick up the glasses
    • Best observing spot will likely be from the lower parking lot, not the Plaskett or Centre of the Universe parking lot
  • For observing yourself from other locations, seek a site with visibility to the east, low in the sky
  • Use solar eclipse glasses to directly observe the Sun, or use telescopes or binoculars with solar filters
  • Practice ahead of time
  • Discussion about timing and observing
  • Solar Eclipse Eye Safety – American Academy of Ophthalmology
  • RASC National 2023 calendars – Lauri has ordered 35 calendars, so contact her to sign up for a copy – roche.lauri@gmail.com

Victoria Centre Observatory (VCO) report – David Lee

  • 20″ Obsession – guiding working, collimation is near-perfect
  • 12″ Dobsonian also available
  • Takahashi – available to members for photography and visual observing
  • Discussion about parking issue at VCO – Garry Sedun

AstrophotosDave Payne

  • SH2-157 Lobster Claw nebula in narrowband
  • Shrimp nebula
  • Heart Nebula and beyond

Oct 16th is the next time to attend Astronomy Cafe – in two week’s time.

Astronomy Cafe – Sep 11, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Transcript video

  • Saanich Fair – Lauri Roche
    • Sep 2-4, 3 days
    • Thanks to all the volunteers, but we could use more for next year
    • 3,500-4,000 people visited the booth and telescopes
    • Solar telescopes used to show the public the Sun
    • Clear and beautiful weather except for Sunday afternoon rain
    • Telescope raffle
  • Island Star Party – Reg Dunkley
    • Very good attendance 70 + 200
    • Dave Payne project lead
    • Cloudy skies on Friday but some sucker holes
    • Pristine skies on Saturday night
    • Zero gravity chairs were popular with cheers from the crowd when the Perseid meteors streaked across the sky
    • Volunteers from Cowichan Valley Starfinders did a great job
    • Two interesting speakers on Friday and Saturday night
    • Next year: 1st weekend of August
    • Donations more than covered our expenses
    • Grand prize of a telescope and mount
  • CU Star Parties – Lauri Roche
    • Weekly events – mid-May to mid-Sep
    • Good attendance every Saturday event
    • Presentations every week – either in-person or virtual
    • Monthly events during off-season
    • Saturday FDAO Star Party (Sep 16th) – Mary Beth Laychak, CFHT Outreach will be presenting
  • Plaskett Observing – Sep 16th
    • Contact Dan Posey email
    • Starts at 11:30pm
    • Must be a member and registered as an Active Observer to participate
  • Personal Observing Reports
    • Brock Johnston – photos
      • Helix Nebula
      • Solar disk in Ha – discussion
      • Jupiter – good seeing on Saturday
      • Saturn – 3 images showing changing ring tilt
    • Explore the Universe observing group – Marji & Jill
      • 110 celestial objects
      • Observe and/or draw at least 55 objects
      • There is also an Explore the Moon workbook
      • Group of 6 observing from Cattle Point
    • Moon – Randy Enkin
      • Sinus Iridium & Jura Mountains – comparing Mike Nash’s image & Randy’s sketch
    • Island Star Party astronomy images review
  • Announcements
    • Teacher’s Workshop – Lauri Roche
      • Mary Beth Laychak, CFHT Outreach will be leading the workshop
      • Monday – 4:30-7:00pm for teachers
      • Monday after the teachers – present at Astro Cafe
      • 2019 AGM presenter
    • Council meeting – Randy Enkin
      • Tomorrow night – all members welcome
    • UVic Wednesday night monthly meetings restarting – Alex Schmid
  • Minima of Algol – David Lee
    • Eclipsing binary
    • Short cycle of 3 days
    • Magnitude 3.4 to 2.1
    • Dates coming up – ref S&T
  • Partial Solar Eclipse – Oct 14th – David Lee and Lauri Roche
    • Observe from the Centre of the Universe – 8am to 10:30am
    • Solar observing glasses
    • Safety briefing
    • Breakfast beverages and snacks
    • Activities for kids and adults
    • $5/person – registration through Eventbrite
    • Rain or shine event
    • Volunteers needed
  • Blake Nancarrow remembrance – Randy Enkin
    • Memories from Bill Weir
      • Black was Chair of RASC Observing Committee
      • RASC Double Star program – designed for small aperture urban observing
      • David Dunlop observatory champion
    • Memories from Peter Jedicke
    • Memories from David Lee and Jill Sinkwich
      • Stellarium courses
    • Double stars tribute – Randy
      • Different colours of binaries
      • Splitting the doubles, triples and quads – challenging technique
      • A Tribute to Double Star Observer and Our Friend Blake Nancarrow –The Actual Astronomer Podcast – Chris and Shane
      • Lyra – 3 doubles – Marjie Welchframe

Astronomy Cafe – May 29, 2023

Posted by as Astro Cafe

Video transcript of meeting

  • Beginner Observers – report by Brenda
    • Observing and sketching targets from Cattle Point
    • Trying to find another observing spot to get away from the car lights
    • Summer targets are next
    • Four observers at Pearson College two weeks ago – liked it!
    • Island View Beach may be a good observing location
    • Most of the group are working on Explore the Universe observing certificate
  • Special Interest Groups – David Lee
  • Beaveree and Seniors event at the Centre of the Universe – solar observing – Lauri Roche
  • Plaskett Observing Session – video report by Randy Enkin
    • First in-person observing session on May 19-20, 2023 since 2019
    • Supernova 2023ixf photographed in M101 as our last target, unknown to us at the time
    • Dan Posey notified Dave Bohlender at NRC, so the SN photometry was reported online quickly
    • Subsequent processing revealed the SN is a blue star
    • Koichi Itagaki, amateur Japanese discoverer of SN
    • The progenitor star of the SN now has a paper published about it
  • Thanks to Astro Cafe volunteers – Randy Enkin
  • Photos of Supernova 2023ixf (Type II)
    • Dave Payne
      • May 13-16 images of M101 without SN
      • May 20th image of M101 with the SN
    • Brock Johnston
      • GIF flashing old versus new image of M101
      • Light curve of SN from AAVSO
      • Also imaged M51 and M13
    • Sketch of SN using 6″ Dob – Bill Weir
    • Photos of SN on May 20th & 24th showing the SN enlarging – Ron Fisher
  • Plaskett Observing Session on May 19-20 – Dan Posey
    • Objects imaged before M101 are being processed
      • NGC 4565 Needle Galaxy
      • NGC 4605 Faberge Egg Galaxy
      • NGC 6914 reflection and emission nebula
  • National AGM – June 25th online – Chris Gainor
    • Restricted to RASC members – log in to member area of rasc.ca website
    • Reports, financial statement, bylaw amendments, elections
    • Please attend and vote
    • 2023 AGM Agenda
  • Island Star Party – Dave Payne
    • Aug 11-13
    • Still need some volunteers – sign up for email list dapayne@shaw.ca
  • Discussion of Supernovae (in general)
    • Type I and Type II Supernovae – Dan Posey
    • SN 2016aps – Lauri Roche
  • Star Parties on Observatory Hill – Lauri Roche

This is the last Astronomy Cafe until we restart after the Summer break.. Astro Café will resume on Monday. September 11, 2023.

Image of Supernova 2023ixf acquired through the Plaskett 72" telescope by RASC Victoria Centre members.
Image of Supernova 2023ixf acquired through the Plaskett 72″ telescope by RASC Victoria Centre members. This preliminary image processed by Dan Posey.